1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to two-part reusable fasteners, and more particularly to quick-connect/release, self-locking fasteners.
2. Description of the Related Art
A multitude of reusable fasteners are known and commercially available for releasably connecting two or more members together. Typical fasteners of this general type include the conventional threaded nuts and bolts. And while power tools are available to rotate a nut onto a threaded bolt relatively quickly, manually turning the nut can be inconvenient and time consuming, and thus expensive in certain manufacturing operations.
Numerous prior two-part push-on type fasteners have been developed to increase the speed of manual assembly and disassembly. One such fastener arrangement commonly known as a bayonet connector is quickly assembled by inserting one part of the connector into an opening formed in the other part of the connector, and then turning one or both of the parts through an angle of rotation to effect engagement between a pin connected to one of the parts and a slot formed in the other part. Bayonet connectors or similar fasteners, however, are adapted for use with members of a particular thickness, and the same fastener can not securely hold members of different thickness.
Other quick-connect/release fastener arrangements that are adapted to accommodate members of different thickness are disclosed in Bailet et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,012, Hutchinson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,553, and Anderson, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/846,320. In general, these fasteners may be assembled by simply pushing the two parts of the fastener together, and in the instance of Hutchinson, then rotating one of the parts. However, in each of these instances, (except in one embodiment of Bailet discussed below) the fasteners are basically adapted to trap the members together, and in some instances can achieve a snug fit with the members, but are not specifically adapted to insure a snug fit with members of different thickness.
Still other quick-connect/release fastener arrangements that are adapted to accommodate members of different thickness are disclosed in Schaeffer U.S. Pat. No. 2,118,361, and in one embodiment in Bailet et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,012. Such fasteners include a nut member having opposing nut portions that are threaded for connection to a threaded rod to effect a snug fit against the members being connected together, and that are resiliently connected such that the threaded portions can be manually separated and simply slipped onto the threaded rod in close proximity with the members before turning the nuts to secure the members together. However, in these instances, the need to hold and squeeze the nut portions together in order for the nut to slip over the threaded rod is not conducive to machine or automated assembly techniques. In addition, provision must be made in one of the members being secured by such fasteners to snugly receive the nose of the nut portions so as to prevent the nut portions from separating when the nuts are tightened against the members. Moreover, neither of these fastener arrangements are adapted to insure that the nut does not inadvertently back off of the threaded rod such as from vibration of the assembled parts, and thus are not suitable for securing parts in a dynamic environment such as is encountered in automotive or marine applications.
Thus, there is an ever present need for a fastener that provides the ability to secure members of different thickness together manually more quickly and easily than with conventional nuts and bolts, that is equally suitable for manual and automated operation, and that is simultaneously adapted to be self-locking.